The project “In Search of Paradise” is a personal and profound exploration of the experience of overcoming loss that my son and I have gone through. We were forced to leave our hometown in 2014, when Donetsk was taken over by separatists with the support of Russia. Later, we lived in Bucha and were again forced to flee due to the full-scale invasion by Russian troops in 2022. After the de-occupation, we returned to Bucha. The project shows how war and disasters affect a person and the way we perceive the world. Memories of Donetsk are, for me, an emotional anchor that provides support amid the new places I discover. This contrast helps me reflect on how memory shapes our perception of the world.
“In Search of Paradise” is not just a documentary account of my life. It is an attempt to understand myself, my identity, and the contradictions I go through. The project is about searching for an ideal place connected with home, comfort, and happiness a place where one can feel at home again, even if I am only here temporarily. It is about how we search for ourselves and our place in the world, inspired by the memories and hope that remain in our hearts even after trauma.